His mind succumbs to darkness and he circulates his Sei throughout his body. An image begins to appear on which his Sei is traveling.
He breaths in and out for over a minute hoping that something might happen. Unfortunately that something does not happen.
Reiji's eyes sprout open, hitting the green ground over and over. Stopping after a while he lays on the very same ground.
"Ugh, what did you mean Kisha when you said External Sei."
He flips around laying on his stomach - ripping the grass from the ground.
"Hey, you by the tree. Stop standing there and come out."
A person who is peeking at him behind the tree reveals themselves. This person is none other than Sonya.
Who walks up to Reiji waving and smiling. Reiji however halts her movement.
"Who are you?" Reiji ask her.
"Me?" Pointing at herself. "I thought I made a good impression though."
Reiji simply stares at her.
"I hate repeat introductions you know that. Anyways, my name is Sonya. If you still don't remember am the person who challenge Nero to a no rules match."
Memories from the tournament exam flush back to him and the one that stands out is when Sonya left the arena when it was her time to fight Nero which Nero did when it was their turn.
"Oh it's you."
Sonya can tell that Reiji is angry, but she does not know if it's at her or at something else.
None the less she walks towards Reiji once more. She sits next to him and crosses her legs.
"Do you wanna hear about my village?" Sonya ask.
Reiji looks at her confused wondering what she's trying to get at.
"Why?" Reiji respond.
Her silence tells him that he will not get the answer to his question.
"Okay." Scratching his head. "I wanna know."
"A few months before the entrance exam my village was completely destroyed. I won't deny some of it was my fault, but it doesn't give him the right to go and kill the people of my village."
Reiji sits upright. His eyes moving towards the tightly clenched hand of Sonya.
"Was this person Nero?"
"Yeah. I run to my house before that strange animal could reach my house. I went in to warn my mother of the approaching animal."
"Before my eyes I saw my mother laying in a river of blood. For some reason that short bastard was standing on top of her smiling."
Reiji's notice that her teeth are gritted together.
"I attacked him furiously, however I stood no chance. I soon awoke and found my village in flames. Every single person who lived in the village was gone."
Reiji tilts his head, a question beckens at the back of his mind.
"If you have no parents how did you even apply to the academy?"
"A friend in black was kind enough to listen to my story like you and decided to help me."
She stands up from the ground dusting her knees. Reiji notice that the resentment in her eyes has disappeared, only thing left is the look of an innocent child.
"Anyways, how were you able to know I was hiding behind the tree."
"Wait…what?" A puzzle look on his face.
"You don't know yourself? How wired."
"Do you think you have any idea how I knew you were standing there since you were raised by a Special Force?"
"No way. I was only taught how to fight. It must have been your instincts. Well who are you?"
"What were you peeking at me for at me for if you didn't know then."
"You looked cute to me not to try and speak to you. Hahaha!"
Reiji cheeks colors up standing and grabbing Sonya by her collar.
"Don't you ever say that again."
Sonya stares at him for a minute.
"Are you actually blushing right now. Haha. You look even cutie than before. Hahaha! Be like this when you are in front of me from now on."
His hand trembling Reiji say, "You know what…"
He let's go of her, storms away and disappears from her eyesight. Silence envelopes her. A sense of relief fills her body.
What ever may happen from now on, Sonya is positive that a secret she kept from a lot of people has finally been lifted from her shoulders.
She turns around walking in the opposite direction of Reiji.
Meanwhile Tamia is stuck. Since entering the forest, she has not been able to keep a topic going for long.
Everytime she ask or say something she is met with only silence. She asks herself how come Faizan was able to speak with Nero so casually - evens make him agree to whatever he asked.
"Faizan you." Whispering to herself.
Nero pauses and Tamia does the same, but curious why.
"Nero, is something wrong?"
Her heart is once stabbed by silence. If Nero was not standing in front of her, she tells herself she would be crying her eyes out.
Claps begin to echo, Tamia looks at the direction they are coming from. The claps get louder and closer as time passes.
"Would you look at this."
Tamia raises her guard.
"Sonya." Nero says with a grin.
"You remember." She reveals herself from the darkness of the forest.
""After what you said I have been waiting to get my hands on you."
"Sorry to brake your heart, but am into taller guys." A cheeky smile on her face.
"Funny. Though when I kill you that joke will disappear."
"Your right. Once you die you will forget everything you have done. Ain't that merciful? Haha."
"Should I handle-"
A voice interrupts Tamia to say.
"Who was talking to you?"
In a split moment something blast Tamia away. She flies further and further away from Nero.
Nero turns around and to his surprise it is a girl with a pony tail. This girl is none other than Lia.
"Whoever you are thanks for that distraction. I will leave this monster to you."
Lia vanishes in a blink of an eye once again.
"Seems you have more people after."
"…"
"What's wrong? Are you nervous without your little friend."
"Nothing. I have decided how am going to kill you and enjoy myself at the same time." Licking his lips.
TBC.
NEXT CHAPTER: PRELUDE 29